by Ryan Trinidad (written August 1)
While the group is doing the Batik art project I decide to veer off and do my laundry. Our institute does not have washers or dryers. In fact, not many people in general have washers or dryers here. Something that I feel like we take for granted everyday at home. Usually when a person does laundry it takes about an hour for the wash, and maybe 2 hours for the dryer. But when you wash your clothes by hand and try to conserve water it makes things a little more difficult. It takes me almost 2 hours alone to just wash my clothes, and it almost takes 2 days for my clothes to dry. I took this experience as a positive. Again, something that puts life into perspective and makes you realize the things you take for granted so often. It also taught me patience on a different level. In my opinion, situations like this test your patience, but also let it grow…
Today we also had our first installment of a lecture of many topics. One of the main themes within the lecture was cultural identity and definition of “blackness.” Needless to say, this discussion was deep and many thoughts were bounced around. It was amazing to hear the insights from everyone. I definitely picked up on some major themes that helped me understand the big picture. Coming here to Africa has opened my eyes more than I could ever imagine, and it has only been week one.
(left to right) Greg Jackson, Nelson the Chef, Ryan Trinidad, Dodongon (in the back), Julius, Lesley Hammond, KB Burns
